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About

The Anthropology master's degree offered by the University of Massachusetts Amherst may lead to admission to a PhD program, to a teaching career at the secondary or junior college level, or to other specialized employment, such as cultural resource management in archaeology or applied work in cultural anthropology in the public interest.

Goal of the MA program

The goal of the MA program is to enable the student to acquire the intellectual foundation and the skills to pursue a career as a professional anthropologist. To do that the student needs to demonstrate the capabilities to complete an MA thesis. This includes the ability to formulate anthropologically interesting problems, the critical ability to apply an appropriate methodology in linking empirical observations with a theoretically informed generalization, a working familiarity with a body of data (e.g. population, cultural area or period), and the ability to demonstrate these competencies in writing.

Programme Structure

Students must complete a minimum of 30 graduate credits:

For those writing a MA thesis, a minimum of 6 and a maximum of 9 credits of Anthropology 699 must be completed.

At least 21 credits must be earned in graduate course work in the department: of these at least 12 must be earned in courses 600-800 series if the student is not writing a thesis; otherwise, at least 6 credits beyond thesis credits must be from the 600-800 series of courses.

The balance of credits may be earned in the 500-800 series of courses, whether in anthropology or in another department. With the specific permission of the advisor, courses in the 400 series outside the department may be included.

Not more than 6 credits may be transferred into a student's degree program from non-degree programs

English Language Requirements

Minimum required score:

100

The TOEFL iBT® measures your English-language abilities in an academic setting. The test has four sections (reading, listening, speaking, and writing), each with a score range of 0-30, for a total score range of 0-120. Read more about TOEFL iBT®.

The TOEFL®PBT is administered in a paper format and measures your ability to use and understand English in a classroom setting at the college or university level. It accurately measures how well you can listen, read and write in English while performing academic tasks. Read more about TOEFL®PBT.

General Requirements

Admission decisions are made largely on the basis of a personal statement, letters of recommendation, and transcripts. Personal statements are typically in the range of 600-1,200 words and give a sense of the individual’s background and desired course of study. Decisions are also made based on fit with the program and faculty expertise.

Tuition Fee

International Applies to you

3848 USD/credit

Tuition Fee

Based on the original amount of 3848 USD per credit and a duration of 24 months.

National Applies to you

2021 USD/credit

Tuition Fee

Based on the original amount of 2021 USD per credit and a duration of 24 months.

We've labeled the tuition fee that applies to you because we think you are from and prefer over other currencies.

Living costs for Amherst Center

1228 - 2550 USD/month

Living Costs

The living costs include the total expenses per month, covering accommodation, public transportation, utilities (electricity, internet), books and groceries.

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